A New Day in a Different World
by KaiU2
Summary: Our reality is a fragile one. One minor change, a choice differs, and you got yourself an entirely new world, a new timeline if you will. In a world built on timelines and choice, the actions of Asriel and Chara set "Undertale" into motion. But what if we tweaked it? Changing the outcome will write a new story. It's a new day, and a new reality for humans and monsters.
1. Prologue- A New Day

Prologue- A New Day

Orange leaves flutter down on the autumn wind. A chill runs down the hulking creatures spine, causing his snow white fur to stand on end. His keen senses were overwhelmed by the brisk, clean air, as a huge, unconscious smile revealed his razor-sharp teeth. It was everything Asriel had ever dreamed of… and more. Ever since he was old enough to walk, he would sneak to the opening at the end of the Ruins, one of the only places where his favorite flowers would grow, and dream about what his parents called "The Surface". He would dream about the adventures he would have, the friends he would make, and play pretend to fill his lonely void.

It was during one of these escapades when Chara fell.

Asriel was scared at first. He was about to strike down the evil king of the humans, thrusting his sword into his chest to land the finishing blow, when he heard a small "thump" of something hitting the ground behind him. He quickly turned around and pointed the worn wooden stick at the unknown being. The green shirted human slowly lifted his head, a pair of deep scarlet eyes peered into Asriel's soul. Asriel's fear faded away when he saw his face for the first time. Loneliness, sadness, confusion and fear laced the frightened human's eyes. At that very moment he confirmed to himself that not all humans are like the ones the castle guards told him about.

"Azzy! We have to go! Mom and Dad will realize we're gone!" a voice pleaded.

"Sorry, sorry. It's just so…umm", Asriel responded, struggling for words.

"Pretty?", the voice offered.

"Yeah! But it's not just that, it's the smells to! It's the air! It's just everything! It's all so… so new and amazing!" the prince enthusiastically replied. Chara chuckled a little in his astral, non existent form.

"After we're done here, you'll get to experience this every single day." The monster and soul were silent for a little while, taking in the scenery. Asriel's monster soul thumped loudly in his chest, anxious about what he was about to do. It was a chance for monsters to rise again, to live in hope and happiness, but he knew it could come at a great cost. "You alright there lil bro?" Chara asked, feeling Asriel's discomfort.

Asriel hesitates for a second, fearful. "When we take the souls… will the humans get them back?"

Chara mentally sighed, telling him the humans would live would be a massive lie. The amount of magical power they wielded would be enough to destroy the whole village in seconds. Chara's lust for revenge burned within his being, he wanted the humans to pay the ultimate price for what they did to him. The pain, the suffering, he wanted to pay it back tenfold. Asriel's hesitation allowed Chara to see an error in his plan though. He realized that while he could influence Asriel to use his magic, as it drew power from the bonded human and monster soul, he couldn't actually release it himself and attack, unless…

"Chara? I'm scared… there has to be some other way…"

"Azzy, listen to me."

"Okay…"

"If you're scared, let me take over, if the humans see you show weakness, they'll tear us apart!" Chara warned.

"But… but Chara! I can do this! I'll do it for the Underground! For Mom and Dad! For you! I'm not afraid! I trust your plan!" Asriel almost yelled at the limp body in his arms, as if he were actually alive. Neither of them believed Asriel's words for a second.

As the monster brushed past the last tree of the vast forest of Mt. Ebott, he was treated with the large, expansive, grassy plain. The knee high grass swayed in the growing wind, cutting at his exposed feet and shins. In the distance, large, brown lugging creatures with horns lie motionless, likely sleeping. Asriel's soul trembled in his chest, effectively creating a heartbeat. He was visibly shaking, from both cold and fear. As amazing as everything was…

_I just want to go home… _

"Welcome to my home Azzy," the human said grimly, breaking the silence. Asriel remained silent, unnerved further by his brother's tone. Sturdy looking wooden homes, not too much different than the ones in Snowdin, lined up in rows, creating a central walkway. The grass had been trimmed away, creating a dirt path leading to a circular central plaza. The sun had set, leaving torches hung near the house's door to paint the town a dim orange.

The fire wasn't like the magical fire that Asriel was used to. Instead of a calming aura, with an inviting mellow heat, this fire was erratic and violent. Black smoke swells forth, filling his nostrils before quickly coughing it out violently, causing a shockwave to ripple through the town. He struggled to walk, he slowly stumbled forward towards the center of the town. Ears ringing, he could feel his soul shake even more frantically. A tear falls, moisturizing the dry, cracked dirt. Asriel gripped the body tightly, pulling it closer, needing something to hold on to.

"Remember Azzy,"Chara began, unfazed, "this is for the future of monsters, everyone will be free if we do this." Chara was excited, ultimate power was at his fingertips. "The flowers, lay my body down in them, they're the only things I liked about this hellhole." Asriel did as he was told, lying Chara's pale, lifeless body into the circular, golden bed. He carefully crossed Chara's arms, and quickly arranged a bundle of flowers and wrapped them in his hand. Asriel slowly stepped back, head bowed in respect, and recited a monster prayer for the dead as his father taught him.

"What on earth is that!"

"Monster!"

"The child!"

"It killed it!"

A throng of humans, young men, all holding pitchforks, swords, and torches slowly appeared from the surrounding houses, cutting off the streets and giving Asriel nowhere to run. They slowly closed in, jabbing their makeshift weapons threateningly. Cries to "Kill the beast!" rang out.

"Humans!" Asriel squeaked, trying his absolute best to stay calm, "I come in peace! I am only here to pay my respects to my friend Chara!"

"Chara?"

"Ya mean… 's kid?"

"He went to Ebott?"

"Don't believe him! It's all a trick!"

"He was murdered!"

"We must avenge him!"

"Let them fry!"

Uproar broke out among the enraged townspeople. The cries grew louder, drowning out Asriel's desperate pleas.

"Die monster!"

"You don't belong in this world!"

"Go back to hell!"

Chara burned with rage and anger, the fused soul shone bright red. His fury boils to the surface, conjuring a raging fire in Asriel's hands.

"Chara! What are you doing!"

"Asriel. Close your eyes and let it go. I'll do the rest." Chara growled.

"I-I can't! There's got to be another way! If I just talked to them I could…"

"ASRIEL! We have no CHOICE."

"Magic!"

"Witchcraft!"

"He's gonna kill us all!"

"Attack!"

An arrow is fired from far away, finding its mark, digging into Asriel's shoulder.

"ASRIEL!" Chara screamed.

The pitchforks come now, it's sharpened points dig into his abdomen, one stabs his right leg, he falls to one knee, howling in pain.

"ASRIEL!"

His robe catches on fire, the crackling flames lick at his fur and skin. Over time it burns deeper.

"ASRIEL!"

White dust flies..

…

…

…

Asriel trudged up the mountain, a trail of dust follows him, flying away in the wind. His expression is blank, emotionless, his eyes a dark empty void. He could feel his body losing form, his HP slowly dropping.

Asriel clenched the only thing he could, a clutch of human souls, 7 of them, exactly enough to break the barrier. They were a whole rainbow of colors, from orange to violet. They pulsed and shook with power and anger.

The monster approached the cave opening. A huge arc of rocks and earth, about 25 feet tall at the highest point. Twilight shimmered off the translucent, glistening screen that filled the inside of the arc. The Barrier rippled like water as Asriel passed through effortlessly, limping to the throne room. 2 thrones stood among a sea of golden flowers, matching the gleaming walls. The Delta Rune proudly engraved into the far wall, it's prophecy seeming to be completed.

Wordlessly, Asriel brought the souls to his chest, absorbing their power. After a flash of light, Asriel took on a terrifying winged form. His geometric jet black body supported his wings, flashing rainbow colors of the souls. He could feel the souls wriggling inside him. Asriel blocks it out, he conjures the souls energy, forming it into a marvelous, multicolored beam. The souls scream in agony at their forceful use, their power fading quickly. The beam slams against the barrier, rainbows dance around the room. After a few seconds, the barrier begins to cave in on itself, it's defense failing. Finally the beam pierces the wall, shattering like glass.

_The barrier was broken…_

Asriel slumps back into his child form, his signature green sweater torn and ripped, his body fading. His HP had not recovered. All eight souls burst out his chest. The seven that were taken, dash around frantically, their color faded. The color then fades, turning the souls all to a similar grey color, they first crack into 2 halves. Asriel and Chara could hear shrieking. The souls let out their final curses to the duo, until they completely shattered, the pieces disintegrating as they hit the ground.

Asriel's emotions hit Chara's still connected soul all at once. It was indescribable. Immense guilt hit him first, he could hear the souls voices still ringing in Asriel's ear. He could feel Asriel's chest tighten, his breathing quicken. Asriel began to laugh, the hate and disgust laced his once cheerful eyes.

"You lied to me Chara."

"_Asriel wait_! _I can explain! If we didn't fight they would have…_"

"You USED me. You wanted to kill them all, didn't you?"

"_No! That's not my intent at all! Look! The barrier is destroyed! The monsters are free!_

"I understand now. It wasn't the monsters I was saving…" Asriel lets out a pained chuckle. His mouth curls into a smile. "I was saving the humans from YOU!"

"_Azzy! Please! I'm sorry!"_

"It's ok Chara. I forgive you."

"_Azzy…"_

" I have no regrets… both humans and monsters, the entire world, is saved."

"_No! It didn't have to end this way!_

Asriel looks straight at Chara's soul. No longer smiling, rivers of tears flow down his tired face. He grips the gleaming, golden necklace around his neck, and yanks it off, breaking the connecting chain that held it in place. The Heart Locket falls to the floor and opens, revealing an image of two brothers in the furry arms of their parents. Beaming smiles shine on their faces. The dying monster looks down at his most prized possession, letting out a sob as he reads the message inside one last time, "Best Friends Forever". Asriel closes his eyes. "Goodbye Chara, I hope you can find peace," he weakly utters. Fading into nothing, his HP hits 0, dust spreading across the garden.

_Years later_

Heavy rain pours down from the angry, dark grey sky. Violent winds whip through the small child's short brown hair. The leafless trees sway back and forth from the pressure, creating a loud, harsh crackling sound. The blue and purple striped sweater did nothing to protect the small child. She ran, her pumping blood the only thing keeping her warm. The thick, sticky mud slowed her down considerably and caked her tiny, underdeveloped legs. The large, looming Mt. Ebott stood before her, it's peak slightly obscured by the swirling clouds. She began to slow down, catching her breath, as the cold took hold. The small girl hugs herself in a fruitless attempt to stay warm. Small sobs escaped, she wanted to give up, she wanted to go home. At least there she was relatively safe and warm. The thought of home made the girl cry harder, as her reasons for venturing into the monster-infested forest in a brutal storm burst forth in her psyche. Conflicted, alone, and freezing, the girl fell to her knees before a vast lake. The water's reflected grey surface swirls and ripples along with the wind and rain. The harsh waters crash against a nearby rock face, spraying additional frigid water upon the little girl. The girl was full on wailing now, uncontrollably shaking and crying. She curled up into a fetal position and squeezed her eyes shut, her willpower and determination crumbling. Several minutes of bawling later, she heard a gasp from behind her, followed by fast, deep footsteps, surely a hulking, bloodthirsty monster ready to snatch away her feeble soul. She takes in a deep, shaky breath, awaiting her demise. The claws came first as they lifted her up, grabbing her legs and neck from below. Her heart drops from the huge change in altitude. She turns her head to face her killer, opening her small brown eyes one last time.

…

…

...

The throne room lays in complete silence. The sun begins to rise, flooding the bed of flowers in a warm, orange glow as it reflects off the golden pillars that line the regal hall. The flowers seem to bloom a little more, taking in the sun's full, unimpaired reys for the first time in decades. Songbirds from the surface chirp their morning melodies, a new day on the horizon. The only inhabitant of the room, a lonely red soul lies next to a priceless golden locket. The red soul sits motionless, its owner in deep contemplation.

"_Is this what I wanted?" _Chara's bodiless form muses. He has been asking himself the same question the entire night without truly finding an answer. His soul begins to pound as he recaps the night's events, the pain, the taking of control, the screams of the humans. Each soul's voice flashes in his mind rapidly. The battle cry of a young man, the screeching of a woman who pushed her son out of the powerful magical blast, the piercing cry of said child. There is chaos everywhere, multicolored magic ripples through the town, spreading fires to the dwellings of his tormentors. Chara wanted to enjoy it, he wanted more. The hopelessness and pain he carried with him everyday, haunting his dreams and thoughts, he wanted retribution for what they did to him. But somehow, new feelings coursed through his astral being. Taking a glance at the locket nearby, his soul tightens up. Chara begins to remember, a goat looking monster's look of apprehension as he hands him a small wooden box. The monster's eyes were locked at his feet, arms behind his back, blushing intensely. He opens the box, revealing a sizable golden heart locket. The humans mouth gapes open in surprise. Folding open the front facing piece that was engraved with the symbol of hope for the monsters, the Delta Rune they called it. He is greeted with a picture that Mom insisted on taking when he first arrived, and a small, three word phrase carved into the piece that folded outward. Upon reading it, he begins to break down. His eyes fill with tears, until he is wrapped up in a tight, warm hug. More tears soak the shoulder of his sweater. His best friend's tears.

More memories burst forth. His best friend yelps in response to his "evil face", before recovering in a fit of giggles. His best friend tricks him into smiling in the dorkiest way possible, getting an even bigger smile out of him after making him laugh. His best friend looks at him with worrying eyes, asking him why he hates humans so much. His best friend collapses onto his lifeless body, mourning his recent, painful passing. His best friend takes in a world he has always dreamed of, feeling excitement burst forth at the prospect of freedom for his people. His best friend falls to one knee in agony, the attackers advancing. His best friend cries in horror as he wrestles control. His best friend sobs in guilt and pain as the true plan begins to realize itself. His best friend, tears off the locket, and looks into his soul. His best friend, the one he swore to protect, the one who had poured his heart out to him, the one who cried for him. The one who died for him, was no longer there, a casualty of his vengeance. Chara's astral form slumps to its knees. One feeling overwhelmed the other. He begins to cry, raw emotions pouring out of him.

"_I'M SORRY ASRIEL… GOD I'M SO SORRY…"_ he pleads. He grips his head, crying harder before completely falling to the ground, pleading for forgiveness from his late brother. "_I never told you why I hated humans so much," _Chara says through his sobs, "_But the reason was never worth losing you…" _Chara looks at the locket, taking it into his nonexistent hands. "_I wanted them to hurt, to suffer, like me. But in the process, I have lost the one person who I wouldn't trade the world for." _Chara pauses, closing his bloodshot eyes. "_I lied to you, my thirst for vengeance led to your death, there is no excuse for what I have done to you Azzy. I should rot in hell for what I have done… But you're gone, fallen down, and I can never take it back."_ Chara's determination begins to crumble, the once deep red soul drains of color. It almost sinks into the ground, almost willing itself to die. Taking one last look at the locket before his life force is completely drained, he notices something. A faint glimmer, a white glimmer, nearly invisible. Pinching it with his astral fingers, he rests it in his palm. It shimmers unremarkably. Looking at the locket again, he notices another, and another. He carefully places them in his palm with the others. Curiously, they begin to merge into each other, creating a larger mass of white, glittering specs. He moves to the rest of the garden, finding other pieces near the leg of Dad's throne. After combining the pieces together, the spec had grown. Still barely a centimeter wide, Chara could feel a slight presence, a familiar one. It was the same feeling he had not to long ago.

…

…

...

Lying in bed, Asriel wakes up, breathing heavily. Sweat covered his body, his pajamas sticking to him like glue. Despite that, he felt cold. A chill ran down his spine, as he lets out a ragged breath. Fearful tears emerged from his eyes, feeling alone and frightened. He practically leaps out of the twin bed on the right side of the room, tripping over his stuffed bear that had fallen in his restless slumber. He tip-toes over to his brother's bed. The brown haired human was sleeping on his side, facing away from him. Carefully, he slides next to him, trying his best not to wake him up, and using all his willpower to not cling onto him in fear.

"I know you're there Azzy." Chara deadpanned, sounding perfectly awake despite it being after midnight.

"Sorry Chara…" Asriel squeaked, now thoroughly embarrassed.

"You see, where I come from, kids like us are scared of monsters under the bed. What about you? Is there a monster under the monster's bed?" Chara chuckled, still not facing his brother. Asriel grumbles, but appreciates the lightning of the mood.

"Were you scared of the monsters? Were you scared of us when you came here?" Asriel asked.

"Well I never believed in monsters or ghosts or whatever. I figured if there was a monster under my bed, it would have killed me already," Chara mused, "As for you guys, of course I was scared, not everyday you try to ki-find a new life for yourself, and wake up to a fluffy dorkus like you." Asriel blushes a little at his title. "But as I got to know everyone, Mom, Dad, Doc, Captain Undying, and of course, you, I soon found that all of you were much better people than, well, the actual people above ground. I will always be grateful for all that you guys have done for me." Chara smiled, turning around and rubbing his brother's huge fluffy ears. Asriel returned the smile, feeling prideful upon being appreciated. The dark thoughts from the nightmare still swirled through the young monster's head, and Chara sensed it. "Enough about me lil bro, did you want to talk about it?" Asriel began drying his tears.

"I just wanted to ask you something big brother... " Asriel shakily began, "Will you ever leave me? Get tired of me, tired of my weakness? My constant worry and fear? You call me a crybaby all the time, maybe you-"

"Azzy!" Chara interrupted. "Of course not. Why would I ever leave someone as adorable as you!" He tickles the goat's armpits, prompting a wave of laughter and giggles. Asriel tries to counter with a tickle attack of his own, but Chara already had the advantage, and his attack fizzles out as he continues to squirm and laugh. After a short while, the human shows mercy, clearly happy with himself.

"Thanks Chara…" Asriel begins, touching a palm to his chest, pulling out a glowing, white upside-down heart, his soul. "I should have known, you're my best friend forever!" He begins to tear up again.

"Oh my gosh you huge dork", Chara responds, wrapping the monster in a hug, "Heh, I love you Azzy."

"I love you too Chara…"

…

…

…

Torial sprints through the forest, weaving between trees hunched over, trying to keep the small human in her arms dry. The little girl had looked into her eyes, bloodshot and laced with loneliness, confusion and fear, clearly shaken by her appearance and the horrid conditions. She had seen those eyes before, almost 20 years ago, when she met her adopted son. Shaking the resemblance away, she warmed her arms up with a touch of her royal fire magic and began to sprint back to her nearby home. After a short trek following the edge of Lake Ebott and slightly into the forest, she nearly knocked the door off her small, primitive cottage. Entering her circular, one room dwelling made of logs sewn together by magic, she carefully places the child on her makeshift bed and strips the soaked clothing off the tiny child. Torial gasps as she sees the tiny human's frail body littered with bruises and scars that could not have come from a simple fall or scrape in the forest. She then takes off her own over-sized lavender robes and wraps the girl in an attempt to keep her warm, coddling the child and bringing her towards her chest. The child finally seemed at ease, breathing steady as she closes her eyes in exhaustion. A strong gust of wind slams against the cottage, sobering Torial up. Laying the child back down on the bed of her own fur, she examines the child's clothes, now torn and caked in mud. Finding a name on the inside of the purple and blue sweater, a tear falls from her motherly face as she looks back at the feeble, malnourished child. "_Who could have done this to you…"_ she sighs. She plants a kiss on the Frisk's forehead. "_I'm so glad I found you Frisk, the people who did this to you will never find you again…" _

After a short while, the rain slows, the clouds part, and the sun shines on a new day. Frisk wakes up in the arms of her killer turned savior. She takes a gander at her new surroundings. A small, mellow, smokeless fire crackled in the middle of the circular room. Sunlight beams in from the openings between the wooden sticks that made up the walls, yet an invisible bind kept the inside warm. The crisp clean air of Ebott forest fills her nose, no longer shivering cold but instead warm and safe, something she almost never experienced. The little girl hugs the goat-like monster back, a small smile emerges from the creatures mouth. Frisk began to cry once more.

…

…

...

"_Azzy! Azzy is that you!" _The white glowing spec seems to gleam just a little bit brighter. "_Your soul! It's shattered across the garden, but… you can feel me?" _The spec dims slightly. "_Maybe I haven't lost you after all…" _Chara excitedly says, new determination filling his almost broken soul. He finds another spec on the petal of a nearby flower, combining it with the growing mass. "_Azzy… maybe I can make things right, maybe just maybe… I can put your soul together! Maybe I can properly show you the surface this time!" _Thoughts of seeing his brother's smile once more, standing in awe of the starry sky, swimming in the clean lakes of the overworld, being engulfed in the arms of their loving parents. Chara's soul hums with power, with new purpose.

Chara is filled with DETERMINATION.

A/N

Yesterday (1/1/2020) I found this while looking through my google drive. I had begun to write this around the same time last year when Deltarune was cool and my love for this world and game came around again but for whatever reason, forgot about it. I figured I'd fix it up a little and post it seeing the new year is here. By fixing it up, I mean add an extra 1,500 words because I couldn't stop! I could not tell you what my original plan for this little story, even what I originally wanted to title it. We'll see what happens, maybe I'll get off my lazy ass and actually commit to this. New year new me right!

Till next time~

Kai


	2. Chapter 1- Birthday

Chapter 1- Birthday

"Alright Mama, hit it!"

"My child please be patient!" Toriel laughed, "The binding process takes a short time to complete, we wouldn't want your new room to cave in on itself now would we?" Frisk gave her mother a pout, but continued to hold the final log of the new extension to their cottage. To outsiders, it must have been a comical sight, a small, not even four foot human child, holding a near ten foot log for a hulking goat monster giving her the "Mom Stare". To the monsters of Newer Home however, Frisk's constant eagerness and Torial's calming presence were welcome sights.

They were building a new room, just for Frisk. This new freedom filled the growing child with pride, no more sleeping with Mama for her! As a simple spell bound the log to the rest of the house, Mama took a step back to admire their work. The tiny, one room circle was no more. New hallways branched out from each side, connecting to a smaller circle of logs which created the kitchen and Frisk's room from left to right respectively. The roofs on each main room created a symmetrical cone consisting of a web of branches with bound together leaves creating an appealing deep green contrasting with the darker beige of the wooden walls. At Frisk's insistence, she took the seeds from the buttercup flower that the former queen brought from the Underground and spread them around their growing home. Surprisingly, they blossomed even under the harsh conditions of an Ebott winter. "Aaaaaaand done!" Torial exclaimed as the last log was sealed into place. Frisk beamed a bright smile. It had taken them all morning but the new wings to their home were finally complete. Fatigue finally broke through the child's ever-lasting enthusiasm as she plopped to the floor with a satisfied sigh. The towering motherly monster scooped up the still tiny child with ease, placing her on her broad shoulders with grace, as if it was automatic. "What do you think my child?" Torial asked.

"It's fantastic Mama! Not only do I not have to sleep with you anymore," Frisk replied, sticking out her tongue, "But we can now cook in a different room! So we don't have to worry about making your room a mess!" Torial chuckled at her adopted daughter's enthusiasm, flashing a toothy smile with a feeling of happiness that became commonplace since she adopted her five years ago.

"Don't go growing up too fast now! At this rate, you're gonna be too big for me!" the monster replied.

"Don't be silly Mama! I'm barely up to your knees!" Frisk laughed. A fit of giggles from the pair ensued. The joy that they brought to each other was something the motherly monster cherished more than anything else, and while Frisk was right about her height, as she had only grown about three inches the past five years, her healing and development in other areas has been astounding. The monster couldn't help but smile as they made their way to the lake to clean the mud off their tired bodies. A short trek East through the part of the forest that separates their small clearing and Lake Ebott later, the pair settles down in their claimed portion of the shared lake, marked by a group of rocks making up the shape of a heart, marking where they had first met.

"My child! Your arms and legs are caked in mud! Let me help you wash up."

"Mamaaaa… if I can get through Miss Undyne's workout and pass Dr. Gaster's tests, I don't think a little mud will be too much!" Frisk whined. One cross armed stare later, and the defiant child grumbles as she strips off her renewed purple and blue sweater and brown pants. The child steps into the crystal clear lake water, a shiver rolling down her spine from its winter temperature. Using her matted fur as a pseudo-sponge, she begins to brush the solidified mud off the human child. After thoroughly cleaning the girls hair and face, she moves down to the back, being careful around scar near her right scapula that still hasn't healed. Working around every nook and cranny, the pair was silent, taking in the beautiful, surprisingly warm autumn day,

"To think, we met at this very spot five years ago…" Torial mused.

"Yeah, it's been awhile huh…" Frisk responded, smile dropping slightly. She quickly recovers, splashing her mother with a crash of her arm. Torial stares at her with an unamused look, as Frisk tries to hold in her laughter. However, Torial's face contorts into a laugh first.

"Oh my little trickster, never change." Torial chortled. "But we need to hurry my child! We need to dry off and make our way to Newer Home! I heard the King has something special for your birthday!" She continued, sobering up.

"Of course! I wouldn't want to be... " Frisk paused.

"_Lake _for that!" The pair said at the same time. The two looked at each other with dumbfounded looks, before recoiling into an even greater laughter, echoing through the forest for everyone to hear. They could have sworn they heard a groan from somewhere.

After changing into new clothes, this time a plain blue long sleeve for Frisk and a new set of the royal garb for Toriel, they enter the northern monster settlement hand in hand. Newer Home was bustling with activity. Monsters of different shapes and sizes stride through the small town, each with their own purpose. Houses of similar structure to the queen's home line a wide central avenue, the scents of smoking meat mixing with the crisp fall air. Ever since, the monster's were freed, refined materials for building and cooking were hard to come by, but with their creative use of magic, they were able to take simple indiginous trees and their fruits, leaves and seeds, and turn them in to a new stable food source in addition to wild deer and other creatures that were hunted. Friendly faces passed by, the local baker, mason, and architect, who all had specialized magics in order to do their jobs, wish the pair a good day, and a happy birthday to the token human in the settlement. Children dash through the streets in a game of tag, their laughter drowned out from outsiders by a warding spell that surrounded the village in a dome. Monster Kid, a participant in the game, crashes into Frisk, causing them to tumble several feet backwards.

"Ouuuuuch, sorry bout that Frisk…" MK griped, before blushing a little as he finds himself lying in the humans arms.

"It's okay, MK! It was an accident." Frisk beamed, unbothered, squeezing her friend tighter.

"Awww man Frisk, you're way too nice!" he responded, blushing further. "My parents say that people like you get taken advantage of, and that mean people could hurt you..."

Frisk untagles herself, helping the armless monster to his feet and pauses for a moment, thinking of a response. "Well, if they have a bit of good will, they will know that it's the wrong thing to do," the human begins, "Plus, I have great friends like you to keep me in check if it comes to that!"

"Heh, maybe you're right," MK agrees. They give each other smiles as a blur of white flashes past them, knocking MK to the ground again.

"You're it Kid!" a feminie voice calls.

"Awww, beans! Well, I'll catch ya later Frisk! Happy Birthday!" MK stamers as he stands up and chases after the offender.

"See ya MK!" the human laughs, a part of her wanting to join the game. Torial grabs Frisk, looking her over for injuries frantically, prompting protests from the girl.

"Kids these days, so reckless," Torial sighs, but understanding she was the same way long ago, and seeing it as a blessing that kids generations after her could play in the real outdoors, a prospect that seemed impossible after the war. A short walk down the main street later, reach the end of the road. Instead of the circular, oblong houses that they had just walked past, the King's house was more in line with houses found back underground. Triangular roofs are supported the main rectangular building, stepping stones leading towards a refined wooden front door. The path snaked through an excessive bed of buttercups, similar to their own cottage. Square windows created by small sticks flank either side of the main door, allowing the pair to see the hulking king speaking to a figure in black robes in the kitchen, each enjoying presumably a cup of tea. Letting themselves in, Frisk sprints straight to her adopted father, a towering goat monster with huge horns protruding out from his flowing golden blonde hair. Despite his status as the leader of monsters, he isn't afraid to wear a woven pink sweater.

"Yes, the new warding spell is working perfectly, it should keep us concealed for another ten years." the robed monster says in conversation with the king.

"Great, thank you my friend, what would I do withou- Ah Frisk! My child!" the king interrupts, "How's my special one on her special day!" The monster wraps the child in a massive bear hug, his deep voice reverberating through the house.

"Doing great Daddy! We finish building the new rooms today!" Frisk responds, equally as excited as she climbs up the monsters bulging arms, taking her place on his shoulders, grabbing on to his horns.

"That's fantastic my child!" Daddy continues, noticing the other visitor. "Howdy Torial, I hope she didn't give you too much trouble."

"Oh no no no, she was a great help Asgore," Torial responds with a smile. After the deaths of their first sons, Torial wanted to be alone. Grief overtaking her as Asgore's support only bringing joyous, turned painful memories to the forefront. Now on the surface for almost a decade, they are slowly rebuilding the relationship, and moving on from the past to the best of their abilities, Frisk becoming a huge part of the healing process. The third monster, the skeleton in the black robes, looks up at Frisk with a small smile.

"Happy birthday young one, I'm glad to hear that the construction was a success." said the skeleton, mellowly yet dignified.

"Thanks Dr. Gaster! You know how old I turn today?" Frisk asks animatedly. Gaster rubs his chin a little, trying to find an answer.

"Hmmmm, I am sure you are ten years old today," he guesses.

"Yes! You're right! Or… wait. Am I nine? Or am I eleven? I'm not quite sure myself…" Frisk sadly admits. A short awkward silence follows.

"Well in any case," Asgore begins, "It's a big day for you, and Gaster and I have a special surprise!" Frisk recovers, smiling, seeing the optimistic view again. The quartet making their way to the living room, Asgore makes his way towards the fireplace, currently unlit. The others take their places on masterfully crafted chairs made of local woods and the king's own fur, sinking into their incredible comfort. Asgore picks up a long, almost flat wooden case from the top of the wooden fireplace. The Delta Rune decorates the front face in a lighter, almost white refined wood contrasting with the deep brown of the case itself. The king places it on Frisk's lap, the about four foot length of it stretching past the arms of the chair.

"Happy birthday my daughter" Asgore softly says, planting a kiss on her forehead. Frisk carefully opens it, popping open its metal locks. Peering inside revealed a letter, along with a dark, wooden staff. Frisk places the box on the floor, then takes the staff and tests it in her hands. Despite being almost as tall as her, the plain staff was nearly weightless, clearly being imbued with some kind of magic. The refined, magic infused wood fit perfectly into her hand. Taking a careful swing as she held it from the natural middle position, the staff seemed to guide itself through the air. Testing its capabilities, she mocks a defensive stance as she blocks incoming attacks. Instead of the crude, heavy training staff that she was used to with Undyne, with this one, she felt in perfect control of her movements. Whatever she wanted the staff to do in her mind, it answered in perfect harmony. Taking a deep breath to collect herself, she looks into each monster's eyes. First the scientist, then to her dad, then her mom, mouth open in disbelief, a tear threatened to escape. Wordlessly placing the staff back in the box, she opens the letter, an unremarkable folded piece of parchment.

_Dear Frisk,_

_Happy Birthday my daughter, your growth, ever-lasting enthusiasm, and joy for life have made your mother and I the happiest monsters who have ever walked this earth. When I was around your age, my father granted me my first weapon, a staff not to much different from yours, and sent me on my very first quest as a future monarch of the monsters. It is our honor to grant you something that we have dreamed about for years. I hereby grant you your first weapon, the Staff of Monsters and send you on a quest to Mt. Ebott. Of course, you will not be alone (your mom would have killed me if that were the case). You will be accompanied by Dr. Gaster's two sons, Sans and Papyrus to continue your training and schooling. You will be in remain the mountain for about six months, with only sparing visits from myself and Mom. I know you must be scared as you have never stepped foot outside the warding shield, but with your training from Captain Undyne, I am confident that you will be safe. Know that you are able to decline if you so wish, but as you will take my place one day, I hope you accept this new challenge. No matter what you decide, we are proud of you my daughter. Again, happy birthday Frisk._

_Love,_

_Dad, Mom, and Dr. Gaster_

Emotion clear in his face, Asgore takes the staff and holds his hands flat, resting it horizontally. Bowing his head, he shakily begins, "Frisk, my daughter, and princess of monsters, will you accept the Staff of Monsters, and take your first quest as a future monarch of monsterkind." Torial looks on, tears running down her face, hands cupped around her mouth. Gaster gives Frisk a nod.

Sobbing herself, knowing how much this means for her and her parents who have lost so much, she collects herself and responds,"I-I, accept the Staff of Monsters, and my first quest, Dadd- I mean, your highness."

"Thank you my daughter, good luck, and thank you for blessing us with a heart of gold and an infectious glee that will lift monsterkind to a new day." Asgore extends his arms and hands the staff to her daughter, pride swelling up within him. After a moment of silence, taking in the momentous event, the Dreemurrs crush each other in a group hug, emotion pouring out.

"I'm so proud of you Frisk… you have no idea what you mean to all of us." Toriel whispered. "Ever since our first son was born, we have always dreamed of this moment, even when we were trapped underground, hopeless." The family remained there for a long time until finally pulling away, still trying to collect yourself. Frisk broke the silence.

"I love you both, so much…" Frisk choked before pausing. "Your son, you've never talked about him, what was his name?" Asgore sighed, tears welling back to the surface. Gaster looks down forlornly.

"His name…" Asgore began, choking back a sob.

"His name was Asriel."

…

…

…

"CHARA! CHARA!" a fearful voice called. "MOM! DAD! ANYONE?" Asriel found himself in an empty, black space. The only color his torn, green and yellow sweater. The piercing darkness seemed endless, no matter where he ran. He tried to call his soul, trying to produce fire for him to see, but he couldn't feel his soul, as if it was completely missing. Asriel slumped to the floor, the memories from before his death rushing forth. He felt betrayed, crushed. He couldn't even bring himself to cry, he just felt empty. Empty and completely, utterly alone, his only solace knowing his race was free. He felt his form fading, slowly, his body turned to dust, flying away and being swallowed up by the dark void. Closing his eyes, he allows himself to pass on.

""_I'- SOR- -RIEL… -OD I'M -O -ORRY…"_ A familiar voice pierces through the void faintly. "_I ne- to you why I -ted hum- so -uch," _the voice continued, emotion clear in its voice. Asriel could barely make out what it was saying, but willed himself to stay together.

"_Chara…" _Asriel focused with all his might, calling to the voice. The voice became more clear.

""_But the reason was never worth losing you… I wanted them to hurt, to suffer, like me. But in the process, I have lost the one person who I wouldn't trade the world for." _the voice sobbed.

"Chara! Chara is that you!" Asriel called shakily.

"_I lied to you, my thirst for vengeance led to your death, there is no excuse for what I have done to you Azzy." _the voice continued. There were no signs of a lie in his voice. His desperation and sadness rung in Asriel's ear as the prince begins to break down at the use of his nickname.

"It's okay Chara… I forgive you, what they did to you must have been terrible…"

"_I should rot in hell for what I have done..."_

"No! What you may have done might have been terrible, but you can redeem yourself! I've seen it! I've seen the good person in you!" Asriel cries desperately. "Mom, Dad, everyone can agree, the deck was stacked against you, but you still showed us love! You didn't have to trust us, you didn't have to love us!" He flashed a small smile. "I know you care about monsters, it wasn't just pure evil and hatred against humans. If that were the case, you had the power to kill us all, gain LOVE, and destroy humanity yourself…" Asriel pauses. "I know the REAL Chara Dreemurr, and that person is my best friend, despite your flaws, despite your pain and anger."

"_But you're gone, fallen down, and I can never take it back."_

Asriel sighed, knowing he was right. Seeing no other option, he lets his body fade again. He opens his tear-filled eyes one last time. "I'm sorry it had to end this way... "

"I love you Chara and I always will…"

…

…

…

A few hours later, the king and queen sat silently at the fireplace, magical fire warming the room. Frisk had left with Gaster to meet his sons and prepare for the journey. The house was hauntingly still, the only sounds being the steady breathing of the gigantic monsters in the living room.

"I'm conflicted Gorey," Toriel begins, chastising herself for letting his pet name slip.

"Why is that?" Asgore asks, blushing slightly. Torial sighs, trying to find the right words.

"Are we dishonoring the ones we've lost?" Torial looks into her ex-husband's eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Asriel, Chara, are we dishonoring their memory by effectively replacing them with Frisk? Giving her the staff, sending her on a quest that they should have gone on? Are they upset at us now?"

"Tori... " Asgore responds, also chastising himself for using her pet name. "If anything, I think they would be happy. I talked about my first quest with Asriel long ago and how much it meant to me" Asgore didn't cry, but emotions were bubbling up again. "I think our sons would be happy that someone like Frisk took the mantle, that our dream was realized with someone like her." Asgore paused and sniffed. "Thinking about it, Asriel and Frisk would have been perfect for each other…" Torial made her way over to the emotional king, wrapping him in a hug. They remained in each other's arms for a long time, enjoying the other's company for the first time in a long time. Finally breaking away, Torial noticed that Asgore's hair had shed onto her robe. She was about to brush it off, until she noticed something. A long, white hair, way too long to be from his fur. Taking it in her fingers, she holds it up and lets it go, floating slowly into the fire.

"Not been grooming Gory?' Torial lightheartedly poked.

"No… I have been nothing but vigilant, very strange." he replied.

After saying their goodbyes, and another long hug, Torial made her way to Gaster's lab to pick up her daughter. With a heavy heart, pride welled up in her as she tested the words "Princess Frisk" in her mouth.

A/N

Woah 2 chapters already? Yeah this is not gonna be a normal thing, today and yesterday are gonna be the only completely free, do nothing days in a while after the holiday ends. I know literally everyone who has written anything on this site has said this in their notes but feedback and critique is much appreciated. I want to share the stories and interactions I've had in my mind for a long time and if I'm not doing a good job with communicating them, I would like to know what I'm doing right and wrong. On another note, these first two chapters have been 22 and 16 pages on google docs respectively, meaning it's literally the longest pieces of writing in terms of pages I've ever done. Granted there's a ton of skipped lines between paragraphs and double spaced for ease of reading and editing. Welp either way, I've officially written 38 pages on just Undertale, and we haven't even had any conflict yet! Go me?

Til next time~

Kai


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